tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038796146239392494.post7563752914382398126..comments2018-02-20T01:40:14.605-05:00Comments on Ballin' is a Habit: Team USA is Saving American BasketballTroy Machirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00566402816544978732noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038796146239392494.post-57807966196384789802008-08-18T14:41:00.000-04:002008-08-18T14:41:00.000-04:00eh im just hatin really now that i reread it.... ...eh im just hatin really now that i reread it....<BR/> <BR/> although it is quite funny how different the perceptions are over here and back in the states...Nikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10927935995071623360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038796146239392494.post-90791702793349587852008-08-18T13:51:00.000-04:002008-08-18T13:51:00.000-04:00There is a reason that they act like superstars. I...There is a reason that they act like superstars. It's because they are superstars. They get mobbed everywhere that they go - didn't you see the video of Kobe walking down the stairs of the arena, getting absolutely mobbed? Part of the reason that they wanted to live away from the village and that they don't really want to go out is that they don't want to deal with the mobs and mobs of people. They are, in fact, the most recognizable athletes there.<BR/><BR/>And it's not like they aren't participating in anything. Kobe and LeBron were at the finals for Phelps 8th gold, and I'm pretty sure that they were in attendance for the women's gymnastics.<BR/><BR/>Regardless, my point was more in how they were playing basketball, not how they were acting, and their performances speaks for itself.Rob Dausterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11844446177379050450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038796146239392494.post-67335595336550476322008-08-18T12:27:00.000-04:002008-08-18T12:27:00.000-04:00Im not going to say that the Americans aren't the ...Im not going to say that the Americans aren't the best team at the Games, that's a given. But to say that they are saving basketball I think is a gross overstatement. If anything I feel that they are ruining Olympic Basketball altogether. <BR/><BR/> Now now wait don't get me wrong it has nothing to do with how good they are. Hell that's their best attribute, their skills allow them to attract more attention to the tournament and to just build the popularity of the sport. <BR/><BR/> But it is the nature of their presence in Beijing that sickens me. They are the only 12 athletes out of the 10,000+ that are not staying at the Olympic village. They have 5 floors of a luxury hotel rented out for themselves, a private team of chefs because the local food and the um 5 star chefs aren't good enough, the only team with personal security everywhere they go, and the only athletes acting like superstars at the games. <BR/><BR/> Now obviously they have every right to be that way, but you don't see Michael Phelps going out and winning 8 Golds and then returning to his penthouse suite along with entourage for a rest. You also don't see Michael Phelps acting like the opposition is passe and not scouting them or respecting them (e.g. the Greece scout where only the coaching staff and Kobe were present) <BR/><BR/> You see this team is awesome no doubt. But this isn't the Olympics as far as they are concerned. They are here to win a gold, get that "redemption," and the media bj that will follow and go home for 82 games of regular season, and that is sickening at least to me, because it makes everything that all these other men and women fight for seem so so stupid.Nikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10927935995071623360noreply@blogger.com